The Long Way Home
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: After a devastating attack on Voyager, only the former drones and Naomi Wildman are left to guide the ship back to the Alpha Quadrant. With only long range communication from Starfleet and the on-board EMH to assist them, the children must battle everything in order to stay alive and get the ship home again. (Based on my own Children In Charge series)
1. Discovery and Plot

**Discovery and Plot**

Naomi Wildman woke from her sleep, stretched out her arms and legs and got out of bed – heading for the sonic shower. It was, she thought, quiet enough with only the background noise of the warp core and the gentle humming of the life support systems audible.

"Computer, what time is it?"

"_The time is 08:34 hours_" the computer replied promptly.

"_Azan to Naomi_"

"Naomi here" the girl sighed as she stepped into the sonic shower.

"_I thought you would like to know that Icheb is returning in the shuttle_" the voice of one of her friend's drifted through the comm system.

"Let him know I'll meet him on the bridge. Naomi, out" and the girl started her shower. It was now six months after the attack on the ship, the _Intrepid_ class starship _USS Voyager_, and Naomi and her friends were the only survivors of the attack which had killed off every single member of the crew – turning their bodies to dust. If the group hadn't got to the bridge in time, they would have been destroyed themselves. Repairs had taken many weeks to complete and, after some discussion, the decision had been made to continue on the journey back to the Alpha Quadrant and return the ship back to the Federation. They kept in contact with Starfleet Command using the MIDAS Array induced wormhole and Starfleet helped them as much as they could. Cruising at Warp 6, the friends kept a constant look for wormholes or subspace corridors that could help them cut the journey time down. Icheb, coming back in one of the shuttles, had been scouting ahead and mapping systems on a two day mission. Once he was onboard, the former drone would use the computer to enter the new navigational data into the memory banks before plotting a slightly better course for fuel economy.

**#**

"Good Morning, Naomi. I assume you had a pleasant sleep?" Azan asked as Naomi exited the turbolift and stepped onto the Bridge.

"I slept" Naomi replied.

"I understand" Azan nodded sagely. "The ship is maintaining course 080 mark 21 – speed Warp 6. There are no vessels within a three light year radius of _Voyager_, but sensors continue to search. There is a quasar at bearing 154 mark 17 and the science station is gathering data as we speak. With your permission, I would like to go down to Engineering and assist Rebi and Mezoti with the calibration tests" and Naomi shrugged.

"You don't have to ask my permission, Azan"

"I know this, Naomi, but I wish to do so anyway" the boy said. "You can take the Bridge now"

"I will comply" Naomi smiled and headed over to the Science station to glance at the data coming through. After a casual examination, Naomi wondered over to Tactical and ran a series of diagnostics on the forward phaser banks – they had been acting up for the last fortnight. Satisfied that all was well, Naomi settled into the chair formerly occupied by Captain Kathryn Janeway and waited for something to happen to break the tedious period of duty. It came just fifteen minutes later when Icheb arrived on the bridge with a PADD in his hand.

"Good Morning, Naomi. It is nice to see you again" the former drone said. He was the oldest aboard – both of the former drones and overall, but they had agreed that Naomi was to be 'in charge' during the trip to the Alpha Quadrant.

"Same" Naomi said. "Is that the new navigational data?" she asked.

"Yes. I have entered it into the memory banks and transferred the adjusted course to the Helm"

"We had better wait until our daily chat with Admiral Paris" Naomi said. "We had better let Starfleet Command know so they can adjust the MIDAS Array coordinates. I missed you" she added.

"As did I you, Naomi" Icheb said. "I have grown attached to our collective, and the absence caused me some pain"

"You were homesick" Naomi giggled.

"That was the medical assessment" Icheb agreed with a slight smile. Naomi thought that Icheb had a rather nice smile, though she did not get to see it all that much.

"_Engineering to Bridge_"

"Bridge here" Naomi said.

"_One of the deuterium fuel valves has shut off_" her best friend, Mezoti spoke over the comm. "_It does not cause us any problems at this time, but I would like to replace when we lay over tomorrow for the daily contact with Starfleet_"

"That sounds fair" replied Naomi. "Are you going to be alright finishing the rest of the repairs and upgrades on your own? I can always come down and help"

"_It would not be advisable to leave the Bridge unmanned_"

"I can always give it to Icheb" Naomi said.

"_We can complete the work ourselves_" Mezoti replied. "_Once I have finished here, I will go to the Mess Hall and begin work on our evening meal_"

"Is it your turn tonight?" Naomi frowned, adjusting a sensor scan as she spoke.

"_Indeed. It is an activity that I find most… pleasant_"

"I'll see you then, Mezoti. Bridge, out" Naomi closed the comm.

"Naomi, I am getting a reading on sensors directly behind us" Icheb said.

"It's an echo" said Naomi. "It was following us last night. The twins and Mezoti are going to fix it later on"

"I advise putting shields up" Icheb said.

"It is nothing more than a glitch" Naomi shook her head.

"Perhaps, but it could also be a vessel gathering information on us. I believe that the human expression is 'Better to be safe then sorry'. If we do not raise the shields, we may become disabled and unable to return fire"

"Sounds a good deal" agreed Naomi. The computer, however, decided to act on its own and raised shields and powered weapons before Icheb could do anything at the Tactical console.

"Sensors reveal a massive build up of power in the contact" Icheb said, looking at the readouts.

"Define it" Naomi said as the Turbolift admitted Azan and Rebi. "Azan, Operations. Rebi, Aux Tactical – help Icheb to plot possible incoming.

"Incoming torpedoes" Icheb said suddenly. "Aft phasers are offline. Aft torpedoes are offline"

"Gods…" Naomi said. "Computer, drop out of warp. Helm hard to starboard. Drop by 300 metres" the girl called out the orders as she hurried to the Helm station and sat at the chair.

"_Engineering to Bridge_"

"Bridge" Naomi tapped her combadge.

"_Aft weapons are offline due to power conduit failure. Estimate three minutes to bring it back into service_"

"Do your best, Mezoti"

"_I will comply. Mezoti, out_"

"Icheb, I'm bringing us about. Target the vessel's weapons and shields. Lets see if we can get them to talk after that"

"Understood" Icheb and Rebi worked together to target the enemy vessel's weapons and shields without doing too much damage. Naomi turned _Voyager_ around as she was hit by a barrage of phaser and torpedo fire.

"Shields are down to 78%" Azan said.

"So quickly?" Naomi frowned. "Scan them again"

"Aye"

"Returning fire" Icheb launched _Voyager_'s impressive armament but the other vessel simply shrugged them off and fired another assault – causing the ship to shudder violently.

"Starboard shields are down to 54%" Azan said. "Total shield efficiency is down to 68%. Scans complete. I am reading a number of indicators that would suggest that the weapons and shields on the attacking vessel has been highly modified from its original design"

"Any idea who?" asked Icheb.

"Early indications would tend to suggest equipment of a Borg nature"

"_Engineering to Bridge_"

"Naomi"

"_Naomi, the weapons of the attacking vessel are becoming more and more able to penetrate our shielding. I suggest either destroying it or mak-_"

"Transwarp corridor dead ahead!" Rebi said in horror.

"Oh crap…" Naomi watched as the Borg Cube emerged from the subspace gap. "Mezoti, divert all power to shields and engines. Go past maximum if you have to! Icheb, I'm plotting a course to get us away from here. Take forward weapons offline and divert power to shields. That should shore us up"

"I will comply"

"Azan, find me a deep, dark nebula to hide in"

"A dark nebula is inadvisable to enter in a ship of this type" Azan said.

"You know what I mean" and Naomi mashed the warp controls as she took _Voyager_ to high warp. The Cube came after them and fired its weapons – trying to batter the shields down so it could transport drones aboard and assimilate _Voyager_.

"I am detecting a nebula at bearing 123 mark 34" Azan said. "The composition of the nebula will hide us from the Borg's sensors for a short period of time"

"They may fire magnetic charges" Icheb said. "They did this when the _Enterprise-D_ hid from a Cube inside the Paulson Nebula. Should that occur, I do not rate our chances of survival high"

"We could always build a cloaking device" Rebi said.

"That would be a violation of the treaty of Algernon" Azan said.

"The Federation signed that – not me" Naomi said, pushing the ship as fast as it could go.

"Your point is well taken" Icheb might have smiled. "I suggest that we power down to minimum levels once we have entered the nebula" he said. "It will reduce our chances of being spotted. Also, I would suggest ejecting the contents of Cargo Bay 1. We collected a lot of scrap metal which is magnetic in nature. If we placed that together, any charges sent into the nebula would be attracted there instead of towards _Voyager_"

"Good idea. Standby to beam it overboard when we're in position" Naomi tapped the intercom. "Bridge to Doctor"

"_Doctor here_" the holographic doctor was online.

"Doctor, we're going to need you up on the Bridge" Naomi said. "We're going to do a bit of DIY and we need you up here to mind the store"

"_Understood_"

"Bridge, out. Bridge to Engineering, report"

"_Mezoti_"

"Mez, when we enter the nebula, I want you to divert all the power you can to the shields and structural integrity fields. We're going to be as quiet as possible" Naomi said to her friend.

"_Like old Earth submarines running silent_" came the reply.

"Something like that. Also, I want you to pull up the design specifications for a Romulan cloaking device. We're going to make one to use in our escape"

"_Always wanted to try that_" and Mezoti closed the channel herself.

"Ten seconds to cloud boundary" Azan said.

"Taking us to impulse…" Naomi brought _Voyager_ to sublight speeds. The Borg Cube was going too quickly and plunged into the nebula. Naomi selected a different entry vector and headed the ship inside. All at once, the lights snapped off to dark, but Icheb provided light from an emergency beacon.

#

It took several hours to complete, but work was finished on building a working cloaking device. Naomi entered the fact she and the others had broken Federation laws into the ship's log and added that, in her opinion, such action was needed to protect the safety of the ship and crew. After some thought and planning, Rebi had presented Naomi with the option of disabling the Cube and killing the drones aboard – leaving them with the ability to get some new technology and, he thought, a transwarp drive unit.

"Our only issue is being spotted" said the Doctor.

"Didn't we just build a cloaking device?" asked Mezoti dryly.

"The Doctor is correct" Icheb said. "The cloaking device only stops us from being seen by sensors. However, the Borg will easily be able to see the displacement of the gasses as we are in transit. That would give them enough time…"

"To blow us all to hell" Naomi said. "What about if we were to escape out of the nebula? If we left from the other side, the Borg wouldn't see us and we would be far away before they realise what has happened"

"That assumes that the Borg have not deployed more ships" Azan said. "This ship has defeated the Borg many times. They will expend many resources if it allows them to either destroy _Voyager_ or capture her"

"Of course…" said Mezoti carefully, "There is no reason at all why we can not attack the Borg"

"I was under the assumption that this entire exercise was escaping the Borg" the Doctor said.

"What I mean is that we might be able to board the Cube and disable it ourselves" Mezoti said. "As we all know, the Cubes don't carry any shielding – instead relying on a thick hull. It is possible that we can transport aboard, gather tactical information, sabotage the vessel and return to _Voyager_"

"And risk any of us getting assimilated by the Borg?" Naomi shook her head. "I forbid it"

"There will be no danger of the Borg detecting us" Mezoti said. "Borg communications between individual drones and the larger collective resemble transporter traces"

"I remember that from classes with Commander Tuvok" said Naomi, snapping her fingers as the thought came to the forefront. "When Captain Picard was rescued by his crew, he managed to tell them to put the Borg to sleep. In the report from afterwards, Commander Data mentioned that the Borg communications resemble transporter beam signatures"

"If we reconfigure one of the pads to emit the same frequencies as these, we will be able to get aboard without detection" Icheb said. "The trouble is that, with the nebula affecting sensors, we would have to be within weapons range of the Cube in order to get definite lock" he added.

"What about a shuttle?" asked Rebi. "It is smaller and we will be able to get closer to the edge of the nebula without being picked up by the Borg"

"Icheb?" Naomi looked at the oldest of those children rescued from the Borg.

"The plan is sound" he admitted, "But the shuttle may not be able to beam us back. Under normal circumstances, this would not be an issue, but the radiation from the nebula would block any return transport. There is, however, another option"

"Which is?" asked the Doctor asked.

"We set the computer in the shuttle on a timer. After a certain period of time has passed, it emerges from the nebula and attacks the Cube. Once this has happened, _Voyager_ emerges, beams us all back and we get away. We will, naturally, head off in a completely different direction as to the one we want to be in. Once we have travelled far enough, we resume our original heading with the cloaking device engaged" Icheb looked at Naomi. "Then we can tell Starfleet Command what has happened and send the information back to them"

#

The operation, such as it was, went according to plan and _Voyager_ escaped with only minor damage. Worn out from the day she had had, Naomi had gone back to her quarters for a much deserved rest whilst the former Borg children, not needing as much rest, went over the information they had gathered.

"Icheb…" Mezoti called some time into the goings over, "You might want to take a look at this" and she tapped a few buttons to bring the contents of her portable console up on the viewing screen.

"This is not good" he replied, looking at the information as it scrolled along. "Seven Tactical Cubes, five standard Cubes, two Spheres and twelve scout ships…" he looked back at his friend. "They are planning an invasion. The only good thing is that the Borg are waiting until the Tactical Cubes are all completed before launching the attack"

"Assuming that they were built in the same place as the last time one was built" Azan examined the data as well, "They will be located in Unimatrix Zero One" and Icheb would have groaned if it was in his nature to do so.

"How far to that location from our current position?" he asked.

"You serious?" Mezoti was a little wide eyed.

"Very" said Icheb. "We are the only Starfleet vessel within range and with the capabilities to destroy them"

"How?" asked Azan. "The Borg will adapt to our phaser and torpedo fire rapidly"

"We have to try" Rebi said, "All other options are futile"

"Not necessarily" said the Doctor as he came into the Astrometrics lab with a tray of food and drinks. "I advise you, as your attending physician, to have some of this before doing any more work"

"Very well, Doctor" said Icheb. "Your advice will be carried out. You spoke of another option"

"I only caught the tail end of your conversation, but there is something that you should know about" the Doctor hesitated before pressing on. "By rights, I shouldn't be discussing this with you but the only command authority on the ship is currently sleeping. I am not a tactical officer, but it is clear that the Borg will adapt to any fire directed at them. However, there is no need to fire phasers or torpedoes at them for any length of time"

"I do not understand" said Mezoti, pouring some orange juice from a jug.

"_Voyager_'s original mission was to find and eliminate Marquis resistance bases. To this end, she was equipped with Tri-Colbolt devices. Two of these were used to destroy the Caretaker's Array in order to prevent it falling into the hands of the Kazon. There are three more secured in the secure weapons storage room on Deck 8"

"Just three?" Icheb was formulating a plan to Starfleet Command – after first telling Naomi about it.

"Two of them are in ready use status whilst the third needs completing" the Doctor said.

"How do you know?" asked Azan.

"I am a hologram of many talents" the Doctor chuckled. "Perhaps I can be of assistance in creating your report…" and the five of them set to work whilst _Voyager_ sped through the blackness of space.


	2. An Unexpected Turn Of Events

**An Unexpected Turn Of Events**

"We are on course for a transwarp portal" said Icheb. "Speed is Warp 9.95 and sensors continue to gather data in upcoming systems"

"Okay" said Naomi. "Do you think that we can really defeat the Borg?" she asked.

"The odds are quite high, but they are not impossible to beat" Icheb replied gently. "The Borg will assume that this vessel is controlled by a fully trained crew of Starfleet personnel, so it is likely that we will stand a better chance in combat. However, that chance is only as high as 2%"

"With figures like that, Icheb, we can not fail to win!" Naomi smiled as she worked the Science console on the Bridge – the one used so often by her mother. "I was thinking about something that we could do. The Borg will, no doubt, have ships patrolling in case anyone tries to escape them or attack them"

"Indeed" Icheb said. "If our plan is to succeed, we will have to launch the two Tri-Cobalt devices and then get out of the area at high warp speed"

"But if we arrive at Unimatrix Zero One, the Borg will pick our arrival up. Is it possible that we can travel there but wait just inside transwarp space for a ship to arrive or disappear?"

"I do not know" Icheb looked up from the Engineering console and looked over the Bridge at his friend. "It will take immense piloting skill to hold us in position. If we engaged the cloaking device and maintained an otherwise low power emission system, we might be able to pass undetected. We could then get through without the Borg spotting us on sensors"

"Like firing a gun when a train is going by"

"Excuse me?"

"To hide the sound" Naomi explained, dumping a lot of new information to the main computer core.

"I understand" Icheb said. "However, the two devices we will be firing will be picked up before they reach their targets"

"I didn't say I had the whole plan _totally_ worked out…" Naomi rolled her eyes and moved over to the Tactical console. "The thing I fear is having the Borg find us and turning us all into drones" Naomi looked at Icheb like the scared and frightened girl she was.

"I will ensure that does not happen" Icheb promised her. "I will blow the ship up if it appears we will be boarded"

"Thanks…" she whispered. "I lost so many people that I couldn't bear to lose my friends"

"Of course" Icheb continued dryly, "The chances are that we would serve on the same Borg vessel"

"Thank you, Icheb" Naomi managed a weak smile before continuing her work.

"_Astrometrics to Bridge_" Mezoti's voice filtered through on the comm system.

"Bridge, Naomi here"

"_Naomi, I am detecting a subspace shockwave bearing 187 mark 3_"

"What sort of shockwave?" asked Naomi, bringing up sensor information at the tactical station.

"_I am unable to get a clear reading on the wave, but I would guess that it is an O-_" Mezoti was cut off as _Voyager_ suddenly slammed on the brakes and came to a dead stop. The lights on the Bridge dimmed and all the consoles all displayed the same symbol. On a black background, all consoles plus the viewscreen displayed a Ω.

"What the hell…?" Naomi said, tasting what was, for her, an obscenity.

"I am unable to explain this event" said Icheb.

"Computer, report"

"_This vessel is now operating under Omega Protocols. Computer lockout until released by Commanding Officer's authorisation_" the computer replied.

"Define Omega Protocols"

"_Unable to comply_"

"Explain" Naomi frowned at Icheb. "See if you can get the others up here" she said.

"I will comply"

"_Information is classified. It is only to be viewed by the Captain's Eyes Only. It is not to be discussed with any members of the crew unless deemed absolutely necessary._"

"Computer, release Bridge console lockouts. Authorisation code Flotter T Water III" Naomi said. "Display Omega information on the main viewscreen and verbalise it" she added.

"_Unable to comply. Members of the ship's company on the Bridge. Captain required to enter Ready Room for security briefing. _" and Naomi wondered who made computers to be so bloody minded. That was another phrase used by the late Tom Paris.

"Give me a minute to take care of this" Naomi sighed. "You have the Bridge"

"Aye, Captain" and Naomi entered the Ready Room to unlock the Bridge consoles and restore engine control.

"Computer, authorisation code Flotter T Water III" Naomi sat in Captain Janeway's old chair.

"_That clearance level is not sufficient. Please enter your Level 10 security code_"

"Level 10?" Naomi frowned at the screen which still was showing the Ω. "I don't have a Level 10 clearance code. Can you not just show me the information anyway?"

"_Negative_"

"Icheb!" Naomi called.

"_Icheb here_"

"Do you have any access to the computer?"

"_No_"

"I need a Level 10 clearance code, but I don't think that I have one. How would I find out what it is?"

"_I do not know. You would have to find out from the computer_"

"I'll ask it, but it doesn't seem to be wanting to play nice" Naomi sighed, closing the link. "Computer, release lockout of this terminal"

"_Unable to comply. Omega Directive lockouts remain in effect_" came the tart reply.

"Computer, how do I find out if I have a Level 10 clearance code?"

"_That information is not to be divulged without a Level 10 clearance code_"

"So the reason why I don't know my code is classified?"

"_Affirmative_"

"Computer, do you work for Starfleet or the Borg?"

"_Input error. Please restate question_"

"What would make up a Level 10 code?" Naomi was beginning to get a headache.

"_A series of numbers and words_"

"Oh, thanks…"

"_You are welcome_" and Naomi made a mental note to make a formal complaint to Starfleet Command about _Voyager_'s computer.

"This is almost as hard as the time that I played Kodis Kot with Seven… Kodis Kot…" a thought occurred to Naomi. "Computer, release lockout of Bridge consoles and restore control to all stations. Authorisation code Kadis Kot Red Green Green Red"

"_Incorrect clearance code_" the computer said flatly. If she didn't know better, the girl would have sworn that the computer was mocking her. As she wondered what it was, her thoughts drifted to her mother and Naomi's bright mind hit upon the answer. "Computer, release lockout of Bridge consoles and restore control to all systems. Authorisation code 'I love you sweetie'" and there was a tiny pause before the Ω vanished from the screen and was replaced by scrolling panels of text, maps, diagrams and all other manner of pictures.

"What is this?"

"_Sensors have detected the Omega phenomenon within one-point-two light years of this vessel. Implement the Omega Directive immediately. All other priorities have been rescinded_"

"Define – Explanation of Omega Directive and cause" Naomi gasped as she tried to read the charts that came up – vying for space with long panels of text that scrolled upwards

"_An Omega Particle was detected at bearing 187 mark 3. Per Starfleet directives, you are hereby ordered to trace the source of the sensor readings and destroy the Omega particle at all costs upto and including the lives of all crew members and the destruction of the ship. For the duration of this mission, all other Starfleet protocols and directives, including the Prime Directive, are rescinded and suspended. You are required to contact Starfleet Command and inform them of the situation and await further orders_" and Naomi could only sit and let her eyes gloss over at the information that was being displayed on the screen.

"Icheb, taking into account our delay here, estimate time to the daily message to Starfleet"

"_At Warp 9.99, we will reach the point in thirty seven minutes and 12 seconds_"

"Good" Naomi replied. "Set that course into the computer and engage. Warm up the deflector dish as normal and then call the others up here"

"_I_ _will comply. Icheb, out_"

#

"So… Any suggestions people?" Naomi asked.

"I suggest that we wait until we contact Starfleet Command" the Doctor said. "They will be able to give us some much needed help in dealing with this matter"

"But we also have the Borg threat to deal with" Mezoti said. "To use a human expression, we are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea"

"Descriptive, perhaps" said Icheb, "But the metaphor is fitting. We must defeat the Borg, but we simply can not ignore the Omega Directive"

"Maybe Starfleet will tell us to ignore it and go for the Borg first before coming back to sort out the Omega Particle" Mezoti said.

"Unlikely" Icheb replied.

"Perhaps" the Doctor said, "We can kill two birds with one stone"

"What do you mean, Doctor?" asked Naomi.

"When you was still a young child, and well before we took these four on, we encountered the Omega particle once before. After some discussion about it, we took the thing aboard in an harmonic resonance chamber which Seven built from modified Borg designs. We could capture the particles inside it before coming up with a way to destroy them"

"How were the particles destroyed the last time, Doctor?" asked Icheb.

"As I understand it, they were destroyed by jettisoning them out of the cargo bay and firing a gravimetric torpedo at the device. Seven claimed that it was her first religious experience when she saw the particles stabilise" the Hologram said.

"And how does this help us?" asked Azan.

"The chamber had a flaw in the design that allowed the Omega particles to threaten the safety of the ship. However, Seven reviewed and changed the designs should we ever encounter them again. If we built another chamber to those improved specifications, it is likely that we could capture the particles and hold them. We could then go to Unimatrix Zero One and use them there" and Naomi smiled at the thought.

"The Borg want the particle" she said, "So why don't we be nice and give it to them? We could destroy the Cubes and other ships before beaming the chamber over. If we place charges on it before we attack, we can simply blow them up while we're at Warp"

"That may well work" said Icheb. "The Borg will be unaware of our arrival at Unimatrix Zero One as we will be under cloak. Our only problem will be to arm and fire the Tri-Cobalt devices. Their arming signature will reduce our operational time significantly"

"In Icheb-speak" Mezoti grinned, "He means the Borg will find and destroy us"

"Perhaps we do not need to fire them" said Rebi. He was normal quieter then his twin, preferring to concentrate on the work at hand – though he was just as friendly as his brother when relaxing.

"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor.

"The torpedoes for the Tri-Cobalt devices are, essentially, the same as normal torpedoes. They have a primitive guidance system and a small set of thrusters for use in station keeping. If we were to place both devices at set points here and here, for instance" Rebi touched the controls of the Ops station to manipulate the image of the Unimatrix complex so it had two spinning gold circles, "Then we could creep along, so to speak, and place the chamber where we want it, slip back to the Transwarp portals and get out – detonating all three at the same time"

"But would not the shockwave from the destruction of the Omega particle prevent us from warping out?" asked Naomi.

"Not if we entered the portal quick enough" Icheb replied. "We could lighten the ship by the simple method of venting the oxygen in unused areas of the ship. That may gain us valuable seconds in escaping"

"Let us hope that Starfleet agrees with you" the Doctor said, and as he spoke the sensors bleeped a warning of a build up of energy particles.

"Starfleet is on time" Naomi said. "Computer, rig deflector dish for Project Watson communications"

"_Modified_" it reported smartly.

"Open Starfleet emergency channel 628"

"_Channel open_"

"Starfleet Command, this is Naomi Wildman. Do you read me?" and the reply was instantaneous.

"_We read you, _Voyager" the reply of Reg Barclay came. "_Switching to visual_…" and the viewscreen changed from the star field it was showing to the excitable officer with several other officers and technicians around. Admiral Paris stood next to Barclay and smiled warmly at the children and the hologram – Naomi mock saluting him as she always did.

"Admiral, knowing that time is short, could you clear the room before we speak? I have something to say that is classified" Naomi said.

"Clear the lab" Paris ordered, and everybody but Barclay and himself left the Pathfinder project's main lab. "Mr Barclay, you will not reveal anything that Miss Wildman is about to say. You are hereby sworn to silence and secrecy"

"Aye, Sir" the officer gulped visibly.

"Now, Miss Wildman, what is it?"

"Admiral, _Voyager_'s sensors discovered Omega particles close by to us. It took some doing to get the computers to unlock, but I am sending you all of the information you require" and Naomi pressed a button on the command chair's arm.

"Barclay, you breathe a word of this and I will have you serving as deckhand on a garbage scowl"

"Aye, Aye, S- Sir"

"Miss Wildman, the Borg threat will have to go to one side for now" Paris said. "This takes top priority. I assume that you have discussed it with your friends and your EMH?" and Naomi nodded.

"I know the directive said to not discuss it with anybody else if it could be helped, but I am on my own here Admiral and I do not keep secrets from my friends"

"I understand" Paris's scowl softened into a smile. "We shall skip the court martial on this occasion, Miss Wildman. As requested, we are sending you updates for you to implement to your computer filing and storage abilities. In addition, we are sending you some children's tapes and other files you will enjoy."

"Admiral, may I enquire about the Academy examinations?" Icheb asked.

"I had a feeling you would ask about that, young man. I have included the suggested texts you should read for the next round of exams" and then Paris returned to his business like manner. "Miss Wildman, I do not doubt that you will have read some of the orders regarding the Omega directive and know that it requires you to do everything you can to eliminate it. However, given your ages and the fact that you have little in the way of training, I would not take it amiss if you were to be unable to carry the directives out"

"Actually, Admiral, we've come up with a plan to kill two birds with one stone" Naomi said. "We plan to construct a chamber to control the particles and then give them to the Borg"

"Give them to the Borg?" Paris frowned.

"Yes, Sir" Naomi decided to be the respectful little Captain. "But we'll also be giving them a taste of the two remaining Tri-Cobalt devices we have aboard. It will take six months for the Borg to finish constructing their ships – easily enough time for us to build this harmonic resonance chamber thingie so we can use it to kill the Borg forever"

"Is that possible?" asked both Barclay and Paris at the same time.

"Whilst the Borg are many and are scatter throughout the universe, they can not exist without a Queen, Admiral" the Doctor said. "By destroying Unimatrix Zero One, we will make them a threat no longer"

"Strange words coming from one of the medical profession" Paris said.

"It is, Admiral" the hologram admitted, "But I do also have a duty to the Federation"

"I see" the Admiral replied. They talked for the remaining time before Barclay said that the time was almost up. "If you can come up with a plan I can review, I shall give it the fullest backing to the rest of the Admiralty" he said. "I shall see you at the appointed time and the designated location tomorrow. Starfleet out" and as he finished speaking, the signal was lost.

"So now what do we do?" asked Azan.

"The Admiral ordered us to make up a plan that he could present to the Admiralty" Icheb said. "We should start work at once"

"After we have had dinner" said Naomi.

"_After_ dinner" Icheb allowed, a smile gracing his face.


	3. Omega

**Omega**

"I would give my right arm for a fully trained crew" Naomi said, tossing aside the depleted dermal regenerator aside.

"You would not be wishing for a fully trained crew if we had a fully trained crew" Icheb said. "Will I live, Doctor Wildman?" he added. The Brunali male had been working heavily on his humour so that he would be able to fit in better once he reached Starfleet Academy. He was also aware that, at first, Naomi had taken a dislike to him due to the fact he was studying hard. Researching the appropriate way of apologising for his behaviour, Naomi had been surprised when Icheb had turned up to the quarters she lived in with her mother dressed in a tuxedo carrying flowers and chocolates. Her mother had been equally surprised and had burst into laughter at Icheb's reaction and response. After she had explained, Icheb had excused himself and hidden away in the Astrometrics Lab for several days.

"Yes" Naomi replied, bringing Icheb out from his thoughts. "You had still better regenerate for a while" she added.

"There is much to do" said Icheb, "And there are so few of us that nobody can afford to take time off work"

"Rest is what you need" Naomi said as they left Sickbay.

"There is another hour's work before the chamber can be powered up" Icheb said. "If you agree to allow me to work for that additional hour, I will agree to taking at least six hours rest"

"Oh, alright" Naomi giggled. She could never stay mad at her friends for that long a time anyway. "One hour's work, and not a minute more. Otherwise I'll throw you in the Brig in irons"

"Yes, Captain" Icheb said, and Naomi wasn't sure if Icheb took the threat seriously or was trying his humour again.

"I will go up to the Bridge and take over from Azan" the girl said. "I'll send him down to help you. You four have the most experience in Borg technology after all, whereas I am a simple Captain" but Icheb knew the real reason. Today was the day Naomi would speak to her father for the first time in months and nothing would get in the way of the precious 13 minutes of live talking.

"Very well" Icheb said. "I shall find out if Mezoti has finished painting the message on the sides of the chamber" he told her – referring to the fact Naomi had insisted it would be fitting if they let the Borg know who exactly was giving them their most treasured dream.

"I should be going" Naomi said, turning left and entering a turbolift. "Deck 1 – Bridge" the computer chimed in acceptance and moved upwards. Within seconds, she had entered the Bridge, relieved Azan and sent him down to Cargo Bay 1 to help in the construction of the harmonic resonance chamber.

"Please give my father your regards" Azan said. "He was most helpful in certain matters" and left the Bridge with a puzzled Naomi remaining. She briefly wondered what he was referring to before settling down in the Captain's chair.

"Computer, estimate time until point of communications with Starfleet Command"

"_Thirty seven minutes_"

"Conduct a long range scan" Naomi ordered. "Are there any ships nearby?"

"_Scanning… No vessels detected_"

"Prepare log entries and ship's status for compression transmission. Standby to transmit"

"_Acknowledged_"

"Report on ship's status" Naomi ordered.

"_Ship's status is nominal. Currently travelling on course 187 mark 3. Speed is Warp 6.5. Shields and weapons are nominal. Warp and impulse engines are at optimal efficiency_"

"Maintain course and speed" Naomi settled down for a while, bringing up a new holo-adventure program on the main viewscreen. With a few minutes to spare, Naomi crossed to the Helm and smoothly disengaged the Warp Drive and brought them to a halt – activating the deflector dish and awaiting Starfleet's signal.

"_A communications channel has been detected. Identified as a Starfleet emergency channel_"

"Match frequencies and engage viewscreen" Naomi said. She was rewarded with the face of, not her father, but of Admiral Paris. "Where is my dad?" she asked.

"I am afraid that his ship has been caught in a gravitational eddy and that he was injured whilst they tried to escape" Paris held up his hands briefly to forestall Naomi's stream of questioning. "He is at Starbase 71 receiving treatment, but he is too ill to speak to you. I have spoken to the Chief Medical Officer myself and he assures me that your father will need intensive care for at least a week. I am sorry, Miss Wildman, but there is nothing that I can do. Now then, I am sure that we can make use of our time. I am sending you some letters from school children on Earth that want to know all about you and your friends"

"A sort of pen-friend" Naomi nodded in understanding.

"Quite so" agreed Paris. "Maybe a link between yourself and several schools might be in order" and the thoughts just confused Naomi, so she settled for simply nodding in agreement.

"Admiral, I'm… I'm confused. I'm so worried about getting everything wrong. I seem to be doing a hundred things at once, and yet I never seem to get any of them done" Naomi's string resolve faltered.

"I was like that on my first command, Miss Wildman. All Captains are like that on their first commands, but they soon get used to it"

"But I am not a Captain" said Naomi. "I haven't even had basic cadet training. I'm just a girl that isn't even ten yet. I'm…" she held back the tears that threatened to burst forth from her, "I'm scared of letting my friends down" and Paris looked a little out of place and spent the remaining time trying his best to comfort the girl. His last words gave her some comfort.

"Captain Janeway clearly trusted you to bring _Voyager_ home, and I can not question her decisions. Mr Icheb may well have the academy training, but he has already made it clear to me that he would much rather serve under your command. Trust in your friends and let them help you"

"Easy for you to say" Naomi said flatly at the dead viewscreen. Wiping away her tears, she ordered the computer to resume course and maintain scanning for vessels and more information about the Omega particle. "Computer, access music files and play something soothing"

"_Define parameters_"

"Random selection of something" Naomi ordered. The girl then spent the next few hours on the Bridge, silently minding each and every console for any indications of a malfunction or alien attack.

"_Cargo Bay 1 to Bridge_"

"Naomi here" the girl replied to Mezoti's call.

"_We have finished construction of the harmonic resonance chamber_" her friend said. "_It is ready to be used at any time from now_"

"Good job, Mez" Naomi was surprised it got done so quickly. "Might as well have an early dinner. What about spending nearly a day at the next communications spot?"

"_I would find the extra time most conductive to combat operations_"

"Combat?"

"_Yes, Naomi. I believe we have a giant castle and a beetle to conquer_"

"Fair enough. I'll meet you all at the mess hall, Naomi out. Computer, engage the cloaking device and increase speed to Warp 8. Recompute arrival time"

"_Arrival time at next communications point with Starfleet Command will be in 18 hours and 12 minutes_"

"Mmm… Make that Warp 9.995 and bring us out of warp when we have arrived – maintaining cloak until further notice. Monitor all surrounding space and communications frequencies. You have the Bridge, Computer".

"_The Bridge is to be manned at all times_"

"Override by Captain's order"

"_Logged. Acknowledged_" and Naomi grumbled her way to the turbolift.

"Mess Hall" she said, and ended up in Engineering. "Mess Hall" she said again, and came to a stop nearest the battle bridge. "Computer, status of turbolift car 13?"

"_Operational_"

"Computer, send this turbolift car to the Mess Hall"

"_Unable to comply_"

"Explain"

"_That information is classified_"

"What?"

"_That information is classified_" the computer repeated.

"Override all previous orders and commands regarding this turbolift car. Send this car to the Mess Hall"

"_Affirmative_" and the car hurried upwards and sidewards along lift shafts. "_Deck 2 – Mess Hall_" it added helpfully. Naomi snarled at the machine with a mixture of disgust and fury.

"Computer, remove this turbolift car from service and return it to the storage area"

"_Understood_" and the doors snapped shut and it hummed away.

"What the hell is going on with this ship all of a sudden?" the girl wondered. The day had gone well, not counting the missed chance of talking to her father and the fact that none of her friends had remembered it was her birthday. This thought held for just a few seconds as the lights to the Mess Hall came up to full brightness and the computer played 'Happy Birthday' as her friends and the EMH sang along – they _hadn't_ forgotten. They had set the computer to be awkward in Naomi's commands for the turbolift so she wouldn't turn up too early. Several hours, and lots of cake, party food and presents, later, Naomi clawed her way into bed and slept soundly for the first time in months.

#

"Red Alert! All hands to Battlestations! Captain Wildman to the bridge, please!"

"Icheb, we're all here anyway" Naomi glanced at her friend.

"My apologies, Naomi, but I have wanted to say that for a long time" the Brunali smiled before returning to his work at the Science station. "Sensors reveal the Omega particles to be on a small moon near the fourth planet" he said.

"Adjusting course" Naomi said, neatly slipping the mighty _Voyager_ from warp to impulse power.

"Naomi, I am reading several small ships in the area of the third planet" Mezoti said. "I would hazard a guess at a Pre-Warp society. However, there are two ships heading from an orbital facility towards the moon of the fourth planet. They will arrive just two minutes after us, but will undoubtedly see us well before then"

"Azan, engage the cloaking device" Naomi said.

"The cloaking device will not work in such an area like this" Azan said.

"If I may suggest an option…?" Rebi looked up from the Tactical station. "Put the moon between us and the incoming vessels. They will not see us until it is too late and we can disable their vessels so they can not pursue"

"That would break the Prime Directive" the Doctor said from MSD console.

"May I remind you, Doctor, that the Prime Directive does not apply under these circumstances?"

"I don't want to disable them too badly" the hologram replied.

"Sending out a measured pulse from the main deflector will result in their loss of primary system" Icheb said. "They will still be able to navigate by visual means, though"

"So long as that happens…" the Doctor seemed satisfied. "Harmonic chamber standing by" he reported.

"Orbit in thirteen minutes and twelve seconds" Naomi said. "Icheb, can you spell me at the Helm for five minutes?"

"Certainly" and he walked over to the Helm. "'M' 'E'" he said.

"Not bad" Naomi giggled, before sliding out of her seat and heading to the aft section of the Bridge – returning a few minutes later. "Next time we talk to Starfleet, I am going to personally recommend a commendation for the person who put a toilet on the Bridge"

"With your permission, Naomi, I would like to go down to the Cargo Bay and monitor the transference of the Omega Particle from there" Mezoti said.

"I will go with you" said the Doctor.

"As you wish" Mezoti inclined her head before heading for the Turbolift.

"I am increasing sensor resolution for the transporter signal pickup" Azan said.

"Icheb, scan the moon's surface"

"That's no moon" Icheb said. "That's a space station… No, sorry… It _is_ a moon" Icheb thumped one panel and muttered about shoddy parts – quite forgetting he was the one that had replaced those circuits some six weeks previous. "I am reading massive damage to a research facility located on the southern hemisphere. Oddly, it is the only remaining structure in a three hundred thousand mile radius. On screen"

"Oh my god…" Naomi looked up from the helm to see massive devastation.

"The station itself is very unstable and will collapse within the hour" Icheb said. "I am seeing living quarters, workshops, mess halls, ground transports… Naomi, I am sorry but I am reading no survivors"

"Maybe that was for the best" Naomi said quietly. "What about the location of the Omega particles?" she asked.

"Sensors are having a hard time scanning that area, though I believe that they are contained" Icheb said.

"Azan, prepare to lock on to the co-ordinates and beam them aboard"

"Aye, Captain" and Naomi realised that the sight had affected him as well.

"Bridge to Cargo Bay 1. Are you ready down there?"

"_Ready to beam aboard_" Mezoti said.

"Energise" and there was a long pause.

"_Cargo Bay 1 to Bridge. Increase transporter sensor resolution by 13%_"

"I will comply" Azan said.

"Icheb, you able to tap into their computers at all?" Naomi asked quietly.

"Scanning…" the boy worked the panel well. "Perhaps I can. Naomi, the rescue vessels will be within visual range in less then one minute and fifteen seconds"

"Azan, be ready to fire the deflector"

"Naomi, if we change our orbital path, we will be able to put the planet between us and the approaching ships" Azan replied.

"The ships are taking up position over the blast site" Icheb said. "We will not be able to get the information we require"

"_Bridge, Cargo Bay1. Transport complete_"

"Okay. You can come back now" Naomi said.

"Of course, we can still get their computers" Icheb said. "If we engaged the cloaking device, we can enter the moon's atmosphere and beam them up"

"Wouldn't the radiation affect us?" asked Naomi.

"I can adjust the shields to block most of it, but we will get radiation poisoning"

"Doctor?"

"Although I would advise against this, Miss Wildman" the hologram said, "It would be most useful research. The radiation will make everyone, bar myself of course, very ill, but I can treat it easily enough"

"How long will the cloak last for in the radiation?" asked Naomi.

"It will last for only a matter of minutes. I would hazard a guess and say two at the most" Azan said. "However, there are extreme gravitational currents due to the Omega particle"

"Icheb, take the Helm" Naomi said, jumping out of the seat for her older friend to take. The Turbolift doors opened and Mezoti and Rebi came back onto the Bridge – taking Science and Engineering respectively.

"Engaging cloaking device" Azan said.

"Mr Icheb, manoeuvring thrusters" Naomi said, settling into Captain's chair.

"Aye, Ma'am" Icheb deftly took _Voyager_ out of orbit and into the Moon's atmosphere"

"Venting drive plasma" Rebi said.

"WAIT!" Naomi said. "We'll need to warp out of here. Icheb, lay in a course and be ready to warp inside an atmosphere. Computer, auxiliary power to the shields"

"_Acknowledged_"

"Ready to beam aboard computers" Azan said.

"_WARNING_!" the computer blared out loudly. "_Radiation levels have reached over 2 million Terratynes. Radiation dampeners are offline. Radiation will reach lethal levels in less then three minutes_"

"Icheb, push the engines past maximum if you have to"

"Understood"

"Energising…" Azan said. "Transport incomplete. Attempting second transport. Energising… Computers are aboard and stored in Cargo Bay 2" he announced.

"Cloaking device is losing power. Failure in twelve seconds" Rebi announced.

"Turn us round – go to warp" Naomi said, gripping her arm rests as the inertial dampeners battled to keep them from being turned into a mess at the back of the Bridge.

"Engaging warp engines" Icheb swung the ship around, punched the Warp controls and rocketed the ship out of the moon's atmosphere and out into space. Once clear, he overrode the safety protocol and pushed the engines to maximum for several seconds before throttling down to cruising speeds.

"Cloaking device has failed" Rebi announced.

"Mez, scan for ships" Naomi was breathing deeply from the adrenaline rush she was going through"

"Scanning… no ships that are a threat" Mezoti reported. "Nearest vessels are those we left behind"

"_Thanks for watching over us, Mom_" Naomi whispered, looking at the ceiling of the Bridge. "Icheb, get us back on course for the communications point – Warp 6"

"Aye"

"Miss Wildman, I would like to see you in Sickbay" the Doctor said.

"What about the others?" the girl asked.

"They have exposure too, but shielded somewhat by their remaining Borg implants and partial exoskeleton" the hologram replied.

"Oh" Naomi said absently. "Icheb?"

"Yes, Naomi?"

"You have the Bridge. Keep us… Keep us … safe…" and the girl passed out.

"Standby for emergency transport…" Azan locked on to both Naomi and the EMH – sending them both to Sickbay.

"Will she be alright…?" Mezoti was afraid for her friend.

"I do not know" Icheb replied. "We shall have to wait and see, though I have no doubt that the Doctor will prevail"

"Shall we go and wait outside Sickbay?" asked Rebi.

"That would be a waste of time" said Azan. "I suggest we make repairs to the cloaking device and set to work downloading the alien computer drives"

"Agreed" Icheb said. "I will set the Helm up for automatic piloting by the computer" and, a few buttons later, the trio stepped into the turbolift and headed away to complete their task.


	4. The Battle of Unimatrix Zero One

**The Battle of Unimatrix Zero One**

It was several days later that Naomi was released from Sickbay, and she took an additional day of rest in her quarters before returning to duty. Whilst she was unable to work, the former drones had begun analysing the data from the computers recovered from the alien science base. As well as that, the four of them had modified the design of the Omega particle chamber slightly to give them a better chance of stabilising it until they used it against the Borg.

"How is everything?" asked Azan as he came onto the Bridge to begin his shift on watch.

"All systems are working normally" Icheb replied. "We are on course towards Unimatrix 01 at Warp 8.5"

"Understood" Azan was about to take the Helm when the Helm, Science and Tactical stations bleeped in unison. "I am detecting a small ship directly in our flight path. We will hit in thirty six seconds"

"Move around it" Icheb ordered.

"Acknowledged" and Azan tapped a few buttons and alter their heading. "Sensors indicate it is unpowered. It has sustained heavy damage to the hull"

"Any life signs?" Icheb asked.

"None that I can detect. However, there are several small craft missing from the hull. I surmise these were escape pods. The crew appears to have abandoned ship soon after this damage was caused" Azan said.

"Take us out of warp and bring us along side at a slight distance" Icheb said. "I will conduct more detailed scans. Bridge to Naomi"

"_Naomi, here_"

"We have detected a vessel in our way. It appears to have sustained heavy damage, though scans are inconclusive as to whether this was caused by external or internal forces. The crew does appear to have abandoned the ship"

"_What do you propose?_"

"I recommend that we beam aboard and take the data from the computer memory banks" Icheb said. "We need all the information about the Delta Quadrant that we can get. Also, there may be part which we can use on _Voyager_"

"_I agree_" Naomi said. "_I will meet you in thirty minutes on the Bridge. Alert the others to the situation and have them gather there. Naomi out_"

"We are within transporter range of the alien vessel" Azan said. "No other ships in range of sensors"

"Very well. Scan the hulk for anything of possible use on _Voyager_. Mmm…"

"What is wrong?"

"There appears to be no atmosphere aboard the ship, so we will have to use environmental suits to explore" and Icheb chuckled gently. "At least Naomi will like that part" he added. Naomi loved to be in the suit made especially for her by Icheb and would often go floating around a holodeck in it.

"There goes our karting time" Azan muttered quietly as he attended to his tasks.

#

"I suggest that we go through the wreckage for parts that we can use" Icheb said. "Although the hull is badly damaged, there are metals that we could use after melting them down"

"Alright" said Naomi. "We need everything that we can get. What about their computer systems? Were you able to find out who attacked them?" she asked.

"No" Mezoti replied. "Most of their computer records were wiped out during battle. We were, however, able to recover some of their navigational data and charts. I have updated our records accordingly and will send the information to Starfleet in our next transmission stream"

"With Rebi's assistance, I shall begin cutting up the wreckage" Azan said. "We should be able to finish the task in a week. With your permission, Naomi, I would like to try and salvage the vessel's fuel tanks. If we installed them, we could go for longer periods without stopping for fuel"

"Make it so" Naomi said. "I will stay on the Bridge for now. Dismiss" and they filed out – all but Icheb.

"Naomi… Next week will be the first year since the crew were killed. I thought some sort of memorial service was in order" he hesitated as he didn't want to cause pain to his friend.

"Is it that long?" Naomi whispered. "You know, Icheb, I sometimes think that Mom will come round the corner or that I'll see Seven for another game of Kadis Kot"

"I too feel their absence" the former drone said. "They were my friends also. I believe you could have even called them my family…"

"You realise what day it will fall on?" Naomi did some math in her head.

"No"

"The same day that we plan to eliminate the Borg"

"Then, Naomi Wildman, we will make sure that they see our actions in the afterlife"

"You believe in the afterlife?" Naomi looked at her older friend.

"As a scientist I must keep all of my options open"

"That is no answer" Naomi laughed and entered the turbolift for the Bridge.

"And do you believe in an afterlife?" Icheb asked.

"I think so" the girl replied. "Commander Chakotay used to talk about the Spirit World that he believed in. B'lanna used to talk about the Klingon version of heaven… I just wish to see my mother again and ask if she is proud of what I have done" a few small tears escaped down from her eyes.

"I am sure" Icheb leant down and wiped them away softly with a finger, "That the crew are very proud of the grown up way you are acting – Your mother most of all"

"I would give it all up" Naomi said, "Just to be a child again"

# # # # #

Some weeks later, and everything came to a head. They had completed all of the computer calculations for entering Transwarp and were at a dead halt in empty space.

"Status report" Naomi ordered.

"Navigational data entered into the Helm" reported Azan.

"All systems at optimal efficiency" Icheb said.

"All propulsion systems online. Transwarp drive standing by" Mezoti said.

"Phasers and Torpedoes ready. Shields on alert status" Rebi said.

"_Omega particle secure_" the Doctor said with the cargo bay.

"Then lets do this" Naomi said. "Yellow Alert"

"Yellow Alert, Aye" Icheb said, and the alert strips on the sides of the Bridge turned yellow.

"Shields are up" Rebi said.

"Ahead Warp 1"

"Warp 1, Aye" Azan said.

"Transwarp drive engaging in five… four… three… two… one… engaged" and, as Mezoti spoke the final word, there was a flash of light as _Voyager_ jumped to Transwarp space.

"All systems report normal" Icheb said.

"We are proceeding on course" Azan said. "Estimate thirteen hours until we reach the transwarp exit point for Unimatrix 01"

"Maintain course and speed" Naomi said. "Steady as she goes. I guess there is nothing that we can do now until we get there. Time for dinner, I suppose" and they filed out of the Bridge. As she stood in the turbolift, Naomi wrestled with the thoughts she had been having for some time. She knew that getting rid of the Borg was for the best, but she also knew that she would be killing millions of Drones that would otherwise be saveable. The Doctor tried to assure her that it was most likely that the Drones could never be recovered totally, but Naomi still felt guilty for what she was about to do.

#

"We approaching the exit point for leaving Transwarp space" said Mezoti. "I am bringing us to a halt three thousand kilometres away and engaging the cloaking device" and the girl smoothly brought the mighty ship to a halt and turned it invisible.

"Sensors?" Naomi looked at the twisting patterns made in Transwarp space. She could barely comprehend the power this level of subspace held.

"Sensors are having a hard time coping with the interference" Icheb said. "However, I do believe we are undetected"

"Then all we have to do is wait until a Borg vessel enters or leaves and we slide in" Naomi said. It sounded simple in her mind, but the girl knew the Borg could have any manner of detection systems set up.

"Naomi, I am encountering issues with holding position" Mezoti announced suddenly. "The gravimetric sheer is more than we anticipated"

"Can you compensate?" Naomi asked.

"For now" her friend replied, "But I estimate no more then ten minutes before we either exit Transwarp space or are forced to turn round and retreat"

"Azan, transfer power to the RCS system"

"That will not help" Icheb said from the Tactical station. "If we fall back to where the Rip Tide is weaker, we would not be able to sneak in undetected. If I may be so bold…"

"It hasn't stopped you before" Naomi smiled.

"We go in under cloak. The Borg will scan for a cloaking device, but should not have a ship in range for several seconds. This will not bother us as we will be going at Warp speed directly at the main Unicomplex" Icheb rapidly typed in commands and brought up a tactical overlay of Unimatrix 01. "Under cloak, we make a high speed run towards the central Unicomplex. Once there, we make a hard drop out to normal space and come about – jettisoning the Omega container. We then drop the cloak, divert all power, including life support, to engines, weapons and shields and fight our way clear. Once at minimum distance, we launch the Tri-Cobalt devices at Omega" and as Icheb spoke, the plan was carried out on the viewscreen. "Hopefully, we will be able to battle our way clear of the defending Borg vessels and make the jump to Transwarp space"

"That's the best we have?" Naomi looked at her friends and at the viewscreen.

"I did spend several hours working on this" Icheb said. "It was the best idea that I could come up with"

"Then if you think its good, then we'll do it" Naomi went round the aft railing and took auxiliary tactical. "Red Alert, stand to battle stations!" and the ship readied for battle. "Naomi to the Doctor"

"_Doctor here_"

"I need you down at the cargo bay. We're going to attack the Borg and need the Omega particles ready to be thrown overboard"

"_Understood_" and the hologram closed the channel without another word.

"Icheb, I will handle the phasers if you look after the torpedoes" Naomi said.

"Understood" and the turbolift doors opened and out came Azan and Rebi.

"Azan, Operations. Rebi, Science" Naomi said. The twins nodded and took up their assigned stations as Mezoti ran a system check on her console.

"Helm ready" she reported.

"Tactical ready" Icheb added.

"Then take us out of Transwarp" said Naomi.

"Aye" and Mezoti tapped the controls and moved _Voyager_ forward. "Sending pulse from Transwarp drive" the Norcadian said. There was a brief flash before they dropped out of Transwarp and saw the heart of the Borg for the first time.

"I am reading over seven hundred vessels either docked or operating in the area" Icheb said. "The Borg have detected the Transwarp signature and are moving in to investigate. I have six Cubes moving in from 121 to 141 mark 6"

"Set course for the co-ordinates that Icheb selected – maximum warp" Naomi gulped.

"Estimated time to arrival is sixteen minutes" Mezoti said – slamming the ship into a sudden sprint.

"That long?" Naomi looked towards her only female friend – noting the same fear that she felt herself.

"The complex is big, Naomi" as if that solved the whole point.

"The Borg are scanning the exit point with high intensity sensors" Rebi said. "We remain undetected for now" he continued.

"_Doctor to the Bridge_"

"Go ahead" Naomi opened the channel.

"_The Omega particle has begun to destabilise_"

"How? I thought that chamber had been improved upon"

"_I am uncertain_" the hologram said. "_I estimate seven minutes until it loses cohesion and obliterates the ship_"

"I believe Captain Janeway would ask if this day couldn't get any worse" Icheb said dryly. "I read three vessels on an intercept course" and adjusted the main screen to show the incoming Cubes and what looked like a scout ship heading towards _Voyager_.

"How did they find us so quickly?" Naomi asked.

"The Borg may have improved their sensory equipment to better detect any Omega particles" Azan suggested. "Once it started destabilising, they would be able to pick it up much better"

"Well they know where we will be" Naomi sized up the situation. "Disengage cloaking device. On my mark, take it completely offline. Shunt the power from there to the forward shields. Rebi, let me know the moment we enter maximum transporter range. Azan, standby to transport the Omega particle off the ship to where it is supposed to go. Icheb, standby to fire the Tri-Cobalt devices. Mezoti, when we drop the cloak, I need you to begin evasive manoeuvres, but not to deviate from the general course we're on"

"_Anything else, Miss Wildman_?" the Doctor asked.

"Try not to get assimilated" Naomi laughed weakly. "Doctor, get going to engineering and take care of any damage from there as best as you can"

"_I am on my way. Good luck_"

"Luck has nothing to do with this" Naomi replied to the dead air.

"At least we got dinner in" Icheb said with a smile.

"That we did" Naomi laughed. "Oh well! Who wants to live forever…? Disengage cloaking device. Evasive manoeuvres, Mez"

"Aye, Aye" and the ship shuddered from the fire of the Borg vessels. _Voyager_ twisted and turned through the oncoming ships, punching its way and not stopping until it broke into free space. Mezoti slammed the ship into maximum warp whilst Azan prepared to throw out the Omega particle. One huge barrage landed all along the starboard side of the ship, and it threw them all to the floor – Mezoti just being able to avoid a second barrage.

"Are we dead?" asked Naomi. She had cut her head open, and blood was pouring from the wound.

"No, but I am uncertain as to when that status will change" Icheb said. "Shields down to 67%"

"_We took damage to half of our sensors_" the Doctor called up from Engineering. "_I've had to shut down a number of power relays. Back up systems inoperative_"

"We still have transporters?" Naomi asked, sending a number of phaser strikes across the hull of the nearest cube.

"_For now_" the Doctor replied. "_I am routing the transporter signals through several circuits such as Replicator systems_"

"Keep those prote–" Naomi was cut off by the violent pitching of the ship. Consoles, power conduits and lights all overloaded and shot sparks as the Bridge was plunged into darkness. "What happened?" she asked.

"We were hit by a massive volley of fire" Rebi said. "Main power is offline"

"Damage report!"

"Shields and weapons are offline" Azan said. "In addition, we have sustained a hull breach on Decks 4 through 9 – Sections 13 Alpha through 28 Gamma. Main sensors are offline. Main propulsion is down. Life support has been damaged. Structural integrity field has been compromised" he went through the list.

"Keep going!" Naomi said to Mezoti. There was, however, no reply from the Helm. "Mez?" and, peering through the darkness, she saw her friend lying on the floor. "Naomi to the Doctor. Medical emergency"

"Internal communications are offline" Azan said. "Most systems are either crippled or offline through damage. We still have transporter control and power to thrusters"

"Three minutes until Omega destablises" Rebi said. "We might be able to get there on thrusters only"

"Azan, route Helm though your station. Full thrusters to maximum transporter range" Naomi said.

"Aye, Aye" and the battered starship started moving once more. "I am trying to regain control of some systems" he added. "Internal sensors are coming back online… We have been boarded. I am detecting Borg drones on Decks 6, 11 and 12"

"That is most of our critical systems" Icheb said. "Can you tell how many have been beamed aboard?" he asked.

"Sensors are not that good, I'm afraid" Azan replied. "I believe that they may be attempting to take over critical systems directly – locking us out before dealing with us"

"I agree" said Rebi. "The Borg will not do anything that would harm Omega. That is why they have not beamed drones to the Bridge. They fear we have placed explosives on the container which we would trigger"

"Approaching range…" Azan said. "We are now within maximum transporter range"

"Lock onto the container and prepare to energise" Naomi said. She looked at the viewscreen that showed the huge complex that held the Borg's power. "Assimilate _this_" she spat. "Energise"

"Energising… Transport complete" Azan said. "Bringing us about"

"Some sensors have come back online. I am detecting multiple vessels on approach vector" Rebi said.

"Thirty seconds until Omega explodes. What are your orders?" asked Icheb. Naomi looked at her fallen friend who was buried under the ruined Helm console.

"Find the biggest ship that's closest to us and set for full velocity ram" she said. "We'll take them down with us"

"Aye, Aye, Captain" Azan's voice was strangely formal. He entered the commands into his console and the battered starship headed towards the nearest Cube.

"Fifteen seconds" Rebi said. "Borg vessels attempting to take Omega aboard but are failing"

"Naomi, it was a pleasure serving you. And I believe that it was an honour to be your friend" Icheb said. The twins echoed the sentiment as they watched _Voyager_ edging closer to the Cube. It kept taking impacts from weapons fire, but it was too late – it would smash into the ship at the same time that the Omega particles would explode.

"Ten seconds to detonation" Rebi said.

_Beep Beep Beep_

"Naomi, transwarp drive just came back online" Azan's startled voice said.

"Quick, evasive action" the girl held onto the console as Azan swung the half destroyed vessel onto its port side and clipped one face of the Cube.

"Five seconds" Rebi said.

"Engaging Transwarp drive" Azan said, and there was a flash of light at the same time they pitched up and tossed around.

Then, to a chorus of alarms, klaxons and screams, everything went dark…


	5. All Alone In The Dark

**All Alone In The Dark**

"_Naomi…_" the quiet voice penetrated Naomi's mind. "_Naomi, wake up_" the girl assumed that had to be her name. "_Naomi Wildman, you will comply!_" and Naomi opened her eyes to see Icheb looking down at her.

"Ooh… My head…" Naomi groaned as she tried to sit up. Icheb helped her to sit up in the bed she was in.

"Be careful" her friend said. "You have only just woken up from a major operation. Drink this" and he handed her some water which Naomi sipped from.

"What happened?" the girl asked. She looked around but couldn't make out where she was.

"We were going to ram the Borg Cube when Transwarp came back online. Azan engaged it just as the Omega particles exploded and obliterated Unimatrix 01. The detonation threw us thousands of light years from where we wanted to be"

"Is everybody alright? I remember Mezoti under the Helm console" Naomi sipped some more water.

"Azan and Rebi sustained moderate injuries, but both of them recovered quickly and are repairing the ship. Mezoti's injuries were slightly more extensive and she needed several operations to completely heal. She left Sickbay three weeks ago"

"I've been in here three weeks?" Naomi gasped.

"Actually, it would be nearer a month and a half" Icheb said. "You suffered some brain injuries that I wanted to take care of first"

"You?"

"The Doctor's program has been offline ever since the battle with the Borg. We have tried to reinitialise his systems, but it will not respond to our attempts. I had to perform the operation myself with the twins assisting me when needed. Naomi, during my care of you, I had to remove your clothing whilst you were helpless and defenceless. I swear on my honour that did nothing to you except that which was needed to be done towards your care" Icheb said.

"You had to do it" the girl shrugged. "What's the damage?" she asked.

"All main drive systems are offline. Life support is only working on Decks 1, 4, 10 and 11" Icheb reported. "We have limited computer ability, and most of that is dedicated to life support, orbit maintenance and what sensors we have"

"What about the hull?"

"We have hundred of hull breaches all over from small punctures to ones the size of shuttlecraft. Our aim is to repair the hull followed by impulse and then warp"

"What about Transwarp?" Naomi asked.

"It has stopped working" Icheb said. "I am unsure as to why this has happened, but it has stopped and we can not get it working again. Currently, we are in orbit of an uninhabited planet. Once sensors are back online, we will determine our position and calculate a new course for us" but Naomi knew when Icheb was holding something back.

"What haven't you told me?" she narrowed her eyes.

"Going over the data that was collected before main sensors went down, we've determined that we were thrown over 30,000 light years"

"_We're lost_?" Naomi shrieked.

"I did not say that" Icheb smiled faintly. "I must go now and continue repairs"

"I'm coming with you" Naomi said. "Let me get something on first"

"You have only just come round from major surgery after weeks of being unconscious, Naomi, you should have some more time to rest"

"You said that the computer is doing the Helm – from the Battle Bridge, I presume…?"

"Yes"

"Then I will sit and do the watch keeping myself. You can put the computer to other uses" and then a frown crossed her pain filled face. "Have you tried getting to the shuttles and using the sensors in them?"

"There is too much damage to areas around the shuttle bays" Icheb shook his head as he helped Naomi to her feet – holding her as she wobbled a little.

"All we need to do is get a Tricorder and then we're set" Naomi winced at the pain shooting up from her legs. "I saw Uncle Tom doing this in one of his special programs once. You get me to the Battle Bridge and I will get you transporters and sensors"

"That is an acceptable deal" Icheb said, giving her some privacy to put on some trousers and a jumper that had been sat in the bedside locker since she was placed in it.

#

Being used only for emergencies meant the Battle Bridge was smaller than the main Bridge on Deck 1. The lighting was dimmed, though it did brighten somewhat when the pair entered. Icheb helped Naomi to the Helm before getting a Tricorder from the nearby equipment locker.

"This is how things work on a starship" Naomi gave a small laugh as she configured the device to start communicating to other computers. "Open a channel to the _Delta Flyer_" she ordered. After a short while, the Tricorder had patched into the _Delta Flyer_'s computer. "Prefix Code 07101988. Begin power up of communications, sensors and transporters"

"Delta Flyer_ computer standing by_"

"Scan surrounding space and then compare to navigational data. Plot our current position"

"_Acknowledged_"

"This may take a while to do" said Naomi.

"_Scanning complete_"

"Perhaps not" Icheb frowned. "Computer, what is our position?" he asked.

"_Co-ordinates two one three by one two nine one eight by six two point nine five one four_"

"Position report. Distance from Alpha Quadrant" Icheb ordered.

"_Current position is 97,354 light years from nearest point of the Alpha Quadrant_"

"Maybe we should fix the warp drive first?" Naomi looked up at her friend.

#

Naomi rested for another two weeks on light duties before getting stuck into the repairs. Once internal sensors were back online, they discovered that radiation had flooded the lower decks – cutting off the Engineering decks until they could go down and clean them. For well over a month, all they had working was basic life support, limited shuttle sensors and attitude control after a power conduit exploded – knocking out power all over the ship. It took another three weeks before they could get done to Engineering without the use of EVA suits. Once that had happened, the first task was to fix life support fully and get a full assessment of the damage.

# # # # #

"We're ready to leave orbit" Azan said. It had taken them six months just to repair the hull damage and bring the Warp drive back online. After that, they had set about repairing as much of the damage as possible – though some of it couldn't be fixed by them. Naomi nodded and looked away from the Master Systems Display and glanced around at her friends.

"Lets do this" she said. "Mezoti, set course for the Alpha Quadrant – maximum warp"

"Setting course" Mezoti tapped the orders into the Helm console. "New heading course 233 mark 45. Speed Warp 9.95"

"Break orbit" Naomi ordered. "One half impulse power until we clear then engage"

"Aye" and Mezoti gently broke them out of orbit, cleared planet and engaged the mighty nacelles and started to speed them away.

"All systems working as they should be" Azan said.

"Warp core at maximum rated output" Rebi added.

"Naomi, may I speak to you a moment?" Icheb asked. "Alone…" Naomi frowned, shrugged and gestured to the ready room.

"Mez, you take the Conn"

"Where would you like me to put it?" Mezoti asked with a grin. Naomi smiled back at her before slipping into the ready room.

"Naomi, thank you for agreeing to letting me speak to you alone. I have some concerns that I wanted to share with you about our supplies" Icheb looked very un-Icheb and seemed nervous about what he had to tell Naomi.

"What is it?" the girl asked.

"Our food supplies are at a low level" Icheb told her. "We can not grow enough fresh food to supplement the things we get out of the replicators. At our current rate of consumption, we will have run out of fresh food in approximately three weeks"

"Why didn't you say anything before hand?" Naomi asked.

"I didn't want to cause any panic amongst the others or yourself" Icheb spoke quietly. "For my part, I tried to make them go for longer by eating only replicated food. We lost a lot of our plant stock from the battle with the Borg and through radiation seepage from a damaged warp relay. If that had not happened, then we would have just about enough for us. At some point soon, we shall have to re-stock"

"We can hardly pull into the nearest Starbase and go shopping" Naomi sighed.

"Not a Starfleet base, but there is a space station nearby" Icheb crossed to the desk and called up some datacharts. "I found this station about six lightyears away from our present location. From the scans I made of it in one of the shuttles, it appears to be intact. There are numerous living quarters, but it appears that its automated at the moment. If you are willing, we could go there and take what we need without anybody noticing"

"That's stealing"

"It was a suggestion only, Naomi. I did not say that we had to do it, but it is the only option that we have. I suggest that we go in under cloak and watch for gaps in the stations scanners. Once we have that, we can transport aboard, get what we need and then go without anybody knowing we were there"

"And that is the only solution?" Naomi looked up at Icheb.

"The only other option is for myself, Mezoti and the twins to go completely to replicator rations and emergency packs and leave the fresh foods for you"

"You would do that?"

"I would" Icheb nodded. "You are our friend, Naomi Wildman, and we would do anything in our power to keep you from being unhappy"

"I don't like the thought of stealing, Icheb, but if that is our only option then it is our only option. Lets tell the others"

#

"Now entering system" Mezoti said.

"Slow to full impulse" Naomi said. "Rebi, full sensor sweep. Azan, engage cloaking device"

"I am reading no other ships within ran… I am detecting a small cargo ship docked to the station and lifesigns aboard them both" Rebi said.

"Too late…" Naomi let loose a string of strong curses.

"Perhaps we could still take what we need" said Mezoti. "A low level EM pulse will knock out the occupants for several hours. By the time they will have come around, we will be long gone from here"

"But that might not work on the station's sensors" said Azan. "The station could send out an automated distress call"

"Then we'll leave without the supplies" Naomi said. "Mezoti, put us back on course – Warp 6"

"Perhaps not" said Rebi.

"What do you mean?"

"I looked at the sensor data regarding their biological make up. If we deployed some of the gas we have aboard to stop a hostile takeover, they would all be knocked unconscious and the station wouldn't even know" Rebi said. "Once we've worked out a gap in the sensors, we can beam it aboard in a sufficient dose and then wait for it to take effect. We then beam aboard in the next gap, get to the station controls and disable the sensors – allowing _Voyager_ to decloak and transfer the supplies that we need"

"Rebi, I am promoting you to head of the Planning Department" Naomi said. "I should have thought of that"

"If you thought of everything, then you would have no use for a highly trained and experienced crew" Azan said.

"Experienced?"

"We know what we are doing" Icheb shrugged.

"Naomi, I am reading a small object coming towards us" Rebi said. "It appears to be automatic and there are no lifesigns aboard"

"Back us away" Naomi said. "Once we're clear, bring us to with transporter range of the station"

"Alr- The object has changed course and is continuing to head towards us" Mezoti frowned as she checked her controls.

"It might be attracted by our engine exhaust" Icheb said.

"Mezoti, cut impulse engines. Back us off from here on thrusters only"

"Object is still coming towards us" Rebi said. "I am also reading a large build up of power on its approach. I believe it may be building to a self destruct of some kind"

"A mine?" Azan suggested.

"I would concur" Icheb said.

"Bring us about" Naomi ordered. "Full thrusters"

"We will not escape the blast radius" Icheb advised her.

"Azan, drop the cloak. All power to the shields" Naomi ordered.

"They will be able to see us" Icheb cautioned her.

"I understand that, but I think we'll run the risk today" Naomi said.

"Aye" Azan replied briskly. "Disengaging cloak…" and the ship faded into normal sight.

"Diverting power to forward shields" Icheb put in. There was a blinding flash of light and the ship trembled heavily as the mine like device exploded.

"Damage report!" Naomi snapped.

"All systems report normal" Azan said.

"Shields down to 78%" said Icheb. "Recharging"

"Another ship has entered the system. Larger than the cargo vessel – suspect it to be a Ccruiser of some type" Rebi spoke calmly. "They have powered up their weapons and their deflective screens are up. They will be in range in less then seven minutes"

"Are they a match for us?" asked Naomi.

"Only if they come over for dinner" Icheb said. "Their shields and weapons are at least two hundred years behind what we use, and their computer hardware is from around the same time period too. We are in no danger"

"I might be able to access their computers and order them to power down whilst we knock them out. Once we have done the same to the other vessel we can send them off on a far enough journey"

"How long?" Naomi asked Rebi.

"Six minutes"

"Right. Mezoti, put us on a ramming course for the Cruiser – full impulse. Once we're close enough, tip the bow down and bring the stern all the way around so that we appear to flip over the ship. Once we're level again, I want a direct course to the station – half impulse"

"You want them to keep chasing us" Mezoti nodded in understanding. "That way the ship will be within range of transporters. A good idea"

"Thank you" said Naomi. "Icheb, paint a target lock on the enemy ship and charge forward phaser banks"

"Ah" Icheb understood completely. "You want to frighten them"

"And take your time about it when you arm the phasers" Naomi said. Nothing more was said for several minutes as each person attended to their tasks. When they got within collision range, the computer automatically sounded Collision Alert – something Mezoti cancelled in seconds. Tipping _Voyager_ up, down and over, Mezoti shot the ship towards the station – the Cruiser in hot pursuit. "Azan, standby transporters. Mezoti, be ready to come about. Rebi, you into their computers?"

"I have just breached their computer systems" he replied. "Accessing control pathways… I am now in control of the Cruiser's systems"

"Order the shields to lower"

"Aye" Rebi worked his panel liked a professional crewman. "Their shields are now down"

"Energising" Azan said without prompting.

"I have programmed a course for the ship to follow" Rebi said. "They are also incapacitated. The same goes for those on the docked ship and the station"

"Good work" Naomi said. "Mez, bring us about and put us back on the right heading. I want to be gone long before they wake up. Rebi, rig the deflector dish to emit a wide band polaron beam. I want to flood the area so they can not pick up our warp trail. Well…" Naomi stood from her place on the Bridge, "Lets go shopping"

# # # # #

"This case contains plasma relay valves" Icheb peered inside a box. "It is not on the list, but do you want them anyway?"

"Might as well" the girl shrugged. "You don't know what we will be able to get out here"

"_Azan to Naomi Wildman_"

"Naomi here"

"_Naomi, I have found a number of crates with spare parts for a transwarp drive. The design of the device is outdated, but I could use the parts here to repair the non working parts in the Borg drive unit_"

"This is Icheb. What parts are we looking at?"

"_Mainly the coils_" Azan replied. "_That is our main issue with not getting the Borg unit operational_"

"Transport them to _Voyager_" Naomi said. "Naomi to Mezoti. How is it coming, Mez?"

"_I am transporting the remaining food supplies to the cargo bays now. There a few others things I have discovered that we might want to take with us_"

"Such as?" Naomi frowned at Icheb.

"_Toilet paper. Given our journey, there is not enough aboard _Voyager_ to complete it in comfort_"

"And we can have toilet paper fights as well" Naomi chuckled. "Beam them aboard as well. Just be aware that we have fifteen minutes until we need to get out of here. Naomi out"

"With your permission, Naomi, I would like to go to the command deck and download any navigational data which may be useful to us. There might be other logs that we could use"

"Be quick" Naomi said. "We don't want to leave anybody behind"

"_I_" Icheb said dryly, "Am not an _anybody_" and he vanished out the hatch and walked off down the corridor.

"Voyager_ computer to Away Team_"

"Go ahead" Naomi tapped her comm badge.

"_Sensors detect a vessel on an intercept course. It will enter sensor range in twelve minutes. Recommend going to Red Alert_"

"Acknowledged" Naomi said. "Charge main deflector and prepare to fire. Standby to beam the Away Team aboard on my order"

"_Deflector charged. Standing by to transport_"

"Guys, looks like there is another ship coming into the system. Its going to be here before the time is up. We have got to go"

"_Icheb here. How long do we have until they reach their sensor range?_" he asked.

"Just under twelve minutes" said Naomi. "But I want everybody aboard"

"_I request permission to stay aboard for a short while_" said Icheb. "_Transfer is in progress and I need another six minutes to complete_"

"Cutting it close" Naomi said. "You can have those six minutes, Icheb, but that is all you are getting. Computer, lock on all but Icheb – Energise…"

"_Unable to comply. The main array is offline_"

"Switch to back ups… Energise" and Naomi was beamed away. "Computer, site to site transport. Four to beam directly to the Bridge" and Naomi, Mezoti and the twins were beamed directly to the Bridge – the four scattering to stations once released from the beam.

"I have a warship coming in at full impulse" Rebi said. "Estimate ten minutes till its weapons come to bear. Not" he added, "That it matters to us, mind you…"

"Is it the same ship as we locked out?" asked Naomi – manning Tactical in place of Icheb.

"Unknown" said Rebi. "The size is the same, but I can not determine anything else"

"Naomi, ready to engage Warp Drive on your command" Mezoti said.

"Right. Azan, what happened to the main transporter array?"

"It was overloaded from all of the usage it was called upon all of a sudden" Azan said. "It will require seven minutes to cool down" he added.

"Ready to fire the beam" Rebi said after a little while.

"Standby…" Naomi said. "Naomi to Icheb"

"_Icheb here_"

"How are you doing?"

"_I need one more minute_"

"That is all you have left" Naomi said. "Prepare for transport. Naomi out. Azan, beam him directly to the Bridge"

"Understood"

"Naomi, I am detecting a temporal anomaly on the ship. Sensor data suggests it to be travel into the future, but it does not appear to be of much consequence" Rebi said.

"Is it Q?" asked Naomi.

"The computer says it to be more powerful than the Q" Rebi said, "But also highly harmless. I will have a reading for you in three minutes"

"Okay…" Naomi frowned.

"Energising" said Azan. "Icheb is now aboard _Voyager_"

"Firing beam" Rebi said. "Our Warp trail is masked"

"I am engaging the cloaking device" Mezoti said. "Engaging Warp Drive" and the ship sped off into the vastness of space. A minute and a half later, the turbolift doors opened and Icheb came onto the Bridge.

"The ship is taking position around the station. It is not pursuing" Rebi said.

"Speed is Warp 9.975" Mezoti said.

"Naomi, I would like to thank you for waiting those extra few minutes" Icheb said. "The data I recovered in that period may prove to be very useful"

"Icheb, assuming that you can fix the Transwarp Drive, how long would it take for us to get to the Alpha Quadrant?"

"A rough guess would be at least two years" he replied. "However, it will most likely be more than that due to periods of cooling and maintaince"

"How long?"

"Three years…" Icheb said. "Four on the outside. The worst thing is that Starfleet does not know out situation and will most likely assume that we have either been captured or destroyed. We are cut off from any chance of support from Starfleet Command or Starfleet Engineering"

"Are you trying to depress us?" Mezoti asked.

"I am merely pointing out the reality of our situation" Icheb replied. "We are not qualified in most repair work, and the only officer on this ship that could help us is unable to be reached"

"So we all have to take lessons in Transwarp theory" Naomi said.

"Azan, Rebi, Mezoti and myself know much about it already. We are going to have to give you a crash course in such matters" Icheb said gently. He didn't want to offend his friend by saying she was not smart.

"Okay then" Naomi shrugged. "What I would like to know is why they had Transwarp coils. That is technology that is far beyond what they should have" she added.

"I will go through their computer logs and see what they can give us" Azan said. "It may be that they have a better level of technology than we thought"

"Deception towards the Borg?" asked Rebi.

"If they appeared to be of inferior technology, the Borg would ignore them"

"Well lets be grateful we have parts to use" Naomi said.

"I suggest that we have some sort of break" Mezoti said. "We have been hard at work for well over a year now, and there is nothing that needs doing that can't wait for a while. We've earned this… wait for a while. We've earned this… _You've_ earned this, Naomi" she added to her friend.


	6. The Journey Continues

**The Journey Continues**

"_Azan to Naomi_" the voiced called from the air. The girl tapped her comm badge on the bedside table.

"Naomi here"

"_You are most urgently needed on the Bridge_"

"Do I have time to get a cup of hot chocolate?" Naomi asked sleepily.

"_No_" Azan replied. "_However, there will be one on the Bridge_"

"I am on my way. Naomi out" and the girl rose from her bed and rubbed her eyes before reaching down for her boots. She left her quarters and went to the turbolift – encountering a frazzled looking Icheb with a night's worth of beard on his chin. "Any idea?" she asked as they stepped into the car and headed up.

"I have none" replied her friend. "Azan did seem very concerned about something"

"We'll find out" the girl said. The rest of the ride was in silence before the turbolift car came to a halt and allowed them entry to the Bridge. Rebi and Mezoti were already there and Azan nodded at the new arrivals. "You want to tell us what this is all about and why we have come to a halt?"

"I am sorry for interrupting your sleep, Naomi, but this is of grave importance" Azan turned to the Science station and tapped a few commands into the console. "Sensors have revealed evidence of Borg activity"

"Anything useful we can salvage?" asked Mezoti.

"Anything there is would be very degraded" Rebi said.

"I don't think so" Azan said.

"Why?" asked Naomi.

"Because this activity took place less than a month ago"

"_WHAT?_" came the collective shout from the others.

"I ran the scans twice to be certain, but I got the same results. From analysing the plasma traces in planetary orbit…" the main viewscreen displayed a couple of different readings at once, "… I have determined that there was a lone Borg Sphere no longer than a month ago"

"After all these months…?" Naomi shook her head. "It isn't possible…"

"We might be able to find drones on the planet's surface" Icheb said. "If we can remove their data processing nodes, we may very well be able to find out what they are doing"

"You mean you want to cut them open?" Naomi's eyes widened.

"That is the only way to do so, Naomi" Mezoti said. "Would you like me to plot us a course to the planet?"

"No… No, I'll do it" she replied. "You and Icheb go down to Transporter Room 1 and get into suits. Azan? You and Rebi get to Sickbay and get it ready for an autopsy"

"Autopsy?" Azan raised an eyebrow.

"If we find dead drones then we might as well put them to a good use. Maybe we can create a virus or some sort that affects their organic components"

"Why not give them a cold?" asked Mezoti.

"A cold?"

"The Borg would expect a complex and creative virus, so something simple would easily escape their detection for long enough"

"Perhaps… Lets just get to this place and find out what we are dealing with" Naomi said. The others left as Naomi took the helm and flew the ship to the planet that had been visited by the Borg. Putting the ship on automatic pilot and raising the shields, Naomi crossed over to the Science station and reviewed some of the data. She found that it was Class M and roughly the same size as Earth. But where Earth was rich and teeming with life, this planet was not. Naomi read indications of massive devastation caused by orbital bombardment and heavy damage to the structures below. All animal life had ceased to exist. It never would again for thousands of years as the ecosystem was ruined and would several thousand years to completely heal and support new life. There was oxygen in the atmosphere, but it was contaminated with all sorts of things. Naomi was glad she had ordered Icheb and Mezoti into suits on a gut feeling.

#

"_Icheb to _Voyager_. We have arrived on the planet's surface. There is heavy damage as far as we can see, though bodies seem to be little to non existent_" Icheb reported. As soon as _Voyager_ had entered orbit, he and Mezoti had beamed down to the planet along with the twins. Azan and Rebi would search for any working computers and try to access any records of what had happened.

"Try inside the buildings" Naomi suggested.

"_They appear to be ready to collapse, but we shall endeavour to find one that is not so ready to do so_" Icheb chuckled lightly.

"_Azan here. Rebi and myself have located what appears to be some sort of main computer centre_"

"Can you recover the records?"

"_We could, however the computers themselves are missing_"

"_Missing_?" Naomi exclaimed. "How do you lose a set of computers?"

"_The computers are missing from the racks they should be installed in. I can only surmise that the Borg took them when they killed everyone_"

"_Or took them as drones_" Mezoti muttered darkly.

"I am reading what looks to be a military complex on the southern half of the second northern continent" Naomi reviewed her scans. "I'll beam you and Rebi over to there. with any luck, you might find computers still there and be able to download the information"

"_We will need a sample of the local language_" said Rebi.

"Such as…"

"_Well a dictionary would be nice_" he replied.

"Smart arse" Naomi muttered. "Standby for transport… Energising" and she beamed the twins to the location.

"_Mezoti to _Voyager"

"Shoot"

"_We have encountered a number of dead drones, but they are either badly decomposed or crushed under the debris. We think a number of others might be behind the debris pile we are currently working on_"

"Icheb? What do you think?"

"_Icheb can not hear you due to unknown metals shielding communications. I am outside what appears to have been a school_" Mezoti broke off as she spoke to Icheb. "_Icheb has found an almost perfectly intact body of a drone. It appears to have been preserved by the effects of the nuclear winter_"

"Do you want to beam aboard or do you want to look for another drone?" asked Naomi.

"_We shall remain on the surface for a little while_" Mezoti said. "_We might find another drone in good condition_"

"Well call me if you need anything. _Voyager_ standing by"

#

"Azan, I am detecting a faint life sign thirteen metres in that direction" Rebi said, pointing down a long corridor that was full of debris.

"A survivor after this amount of time?" his brother frowned but adjusted his phaser and fired it. Instantly, Azan regretted his decision as a number of drones came down the corridor. "As Naomi would say, 'Oh crap…'. Lets get out of here"

"I concur" Rebi said, and the pair of them fired a few shots at the drones before hurrying back out the way they had just come. "Rebi to _Voyager_. Two for immediate beam up!"

"_Whats up?_"

"Just do it!" Rebi shouted. Naomi must have been stunned from the tone of his voice as she complied – transporting them directly to the Bridge.

"Are you alright?" Naomi asked.

"Yeah" Rebi panted slightly. "Computer, arm forward torpedo tubes. Set target for two for the location I just beamed up from"

"_Torpedoes armed. Target set_" the computer reported.

"Fire" and two orange balls of light burst from the ship, raced towards the ground and slammed into the bunker.

"Would you mind telling me what happened down there?" Naomi asked.

"We found live Borg down there. From the one glance of what they were doing, it appears as if they had been left behind to assimilate any survivors. Given the fact that we haven't encountered anything else, I would surmise that they were destroyed"

"Could they have got a message off to the Sphere?" asked Naomi.

"Unknown, but the possibility is high"

"Right – We are out of here. _Voyager_ to Mezoti"

"_Mezoti here_"

"Get ready for an immediate beam up"

"_Understood_" and, two minutes later, the starship hurtled out of the system and on a course for Earth.

#

"The drones were cut off by a trick of the fates" said Mezoti. "The Sphere was attacking the planet when it suffered a major malfunction and exploded. The few drones down on the planet went into a hibernation mode until a ship turned up"

"So the Borg are defeated?" Naomi asked.

"Yes. Completely. Utterly. Absolutely"

"A simple yes would have been okay" Naomi said.

"I did not want there to be any misunderstanding" her friend smiled.

"Naomi, I have something else to report to you" Icheb said. "Over the last few weeks, I have been attempting to get the Doctor back online. I have been able to recover his core program. However, it would appear that everything else is gone. From what I have been able to find out, there was a short circuit in the section of the computer core that contained his program – deleting everything but his medical programs. We can call on him at any time, but he will not be the Doctor that we know well"

"Is there anything that you can do?" asked Rebi.

"Normally, something could be done with a trained Engineering crew and a week. Of course, the EMH was only designed for short term supplement to the ship's medical staff"

"Leave him down" Naomi made the decision. "At least his medical stuff is alright. Better make a back up copy in case the damage gets worse" and Icheb nodded.

"I have already done so" he told her.

"Right… Anything else people want to say?"

"Sensors detect a Class M planet within a short distance" Azan said. "I suggest that we go into orbit and have a break for a few days"

"We're behind time getting back to the Alpha Quadrant" Naomi said.

"Even at best speeds, we're going to take a hundred years to get back to the closest point of the Alpha Quadrant" Mezoti said. "Whilst we can simply regenerate, you need to take a holiday from time to time. Using the holodeck does not count, you know that…"

"This is mutiny" Naomi said.

"This is friendship" Rebi replied.

"It would be a pleasant change from the ship's air" Icheb added. "Besides, we could use the time to allow the warp drive to cool down. We've been running at high warp for nearly three weeks. There are also a number of systems that we could repair at the same time. As you know, we were not able to completely repair the ship after the battle with the Borg"

"How long will it take us to get there?" asked Naomi.

"At current speed, about thirteen hours" Mezoti said.

"And the planet is uninhabited?"

"Yes"

"Mmm…" Naomi thought it over in her head. Even with all that she had learned from _Voyager_'s crew, she still had trouble deciding what was the right thing to do. "Alright then. Mezoti, set course for this planet – best possible speed. Keep an eye out for any other vessels in the area. Icheb, get together a list of repairs that can be done whilst we are in orbit. Azan, you go and get the camping stuff out of storage. Rebi, would you mind giving me a hand with something in the Astrometrics Lab?"

"I will comply" Rebi said.

"What are you doing?" asked Icheb.

"I want to send Starfleet a message" said Naomi. "They should know that we are alright. Even if we can never get a return message, they deserve to know we survived and that we are on our way back" she said.

"How do you plan to do this?" asked Mezoti.

"I was thinking of using the navigational deflector to send a tachyon packet. It should reach them in a month or so. I remember Seven telling me about it once during science class" Naomi's voice was tinged with sadness as she thought about her lost mother, friends and crew of _Voyager_.

"What do you plan to send to them?" asked Azan.

"Ship's status, crew status, logs, navigational data up to the moment of transmission and our plans" Naomi said.

"It will not arrive for several months. How will you ensure it is noticed by Starfleet Command?" asked Icheb.

"I'll encode it as Code 1"

"A cunning plan. Communications systems are designed to give priority over the war codes. By encoding the packet as such, Starfleet will read it and know we survived the attack on the Borg – even if we can never get a return message" Mezoti was impressed by her friend's plan.

"Lets get to work" and they filed out – all except for Icheb.

"May I have a moment?"

"Sure"

"I did not want to discuss this in front of the others, but there may be a way to get transwarp drive" Icheb said.

"I thought you just said it was completely useless"

"The Borg system is" Icheb explained. "However, it is possible for us to install the system used by the aliens we took them from. Although the Borg coils were rendered useless by the elimination of the Borg, some parts still work. If we landed on this planet, we could shut down the main drive systems, remove the Borg components and install the alien system in its place. It will not get us the same speeds as before, but it will cut nearly twenty years off the journey"

"Really?" Naomi looked at her friend. "Then some of us might actually make it"

"Perhaps" Icheb replied. "It appears as if the drive requires a shut down period of twelve hours every forty eight hours"

"So we use normal warp during the cooling period…" Naomi shrugged. "Has the Borg database got any charts for this area?" the girl asked.

"Not fully detailed" Icheb said. "This is an area of somewhat primitive species. The Borg never bothered with them. They deemed them to be not worthy of assimilation"

"I was thinking of having the computer bring us out of transwarp when we get close to places we might find or make a wormhole. If we can, it is possible we could cut more time off the way back"

"Creating a wormhole would mean burning out the main deflector. I remind you that we would need it inside the wormhole should we either find or make one"

"It was a thought" Naomi sighed and sat on the edge of the briefing room table. "Sometimes I don't think I can do this anymore" she looked at Icheb with a few tears gathering in her eyes. "Sometimes I just want to pack it in and settle down someplace"

"I believe in you, Naomi, as do the others. We will get this ship back to the Alpha Quadrant. Even if it takes us a thousand years, we will get it back home and we will do it under your command" Icheb hesitated and then gave her a warm hug. It seemed to do the trick as Naomi stopped crying and collected herself.

"Lets get going" she said. "Suddenly the idea of taking time off sounds good… Icheb? Have you ever thought about what you would do when we reach the Alpha Quadrant?" Naomi asked.

"I have not given it much thought" the Brunali paused. "By the time we get back to the Alpha Quadrant, I will be far too old to train as a Starfleet Officer. I suppose that I could teach astrology and advanced physics. And yourself?"

"Find my relatives and visit them, I suppose" Naomi said. "Its kinda scary to think we will grow up"

"We could always go into status" Icheb smiled and Naomi returned it.

"Come on, Itchy" she said with a cheeky wink that told Icheb that all was well with his young friend. "Lets get to our shore leave"

"Aye, Aye, Captain"

# # # # #

"Approaching planet" said Azan. "On screen" and brought the image of the brilliant green planet up on the main viewscreen.

"It's beautiful" breathed Naomi.

"Sensors confirm all readings within the standard Class M norms, though the gravity is at 0.8g compared to Earth standard" Mezoti said.

"There are no other vessels in range" said Icheb.

"I read seven large continents and thousands of small islands all over the planet. There are signs of volcanic activity on some of the islands near the equator, but nothing too serious"

"It looks good enough to land" said Rebi. "Why don't we?" he asked Naomi.

"Yes, why not… Any objections?" but, as she thought, she got none. "Icheb, set Condition Blue. Prepare for landing"

"Aye, Naomi" Icheb worked the Operations console and the lights dimmed and turned blue as an alert tone sounded all over the Bridge.

"Rebi, rig the shields for entry and atmospheric flight. Icheb, vent drive plasma from the nacelles and disengage the warp drive"

"Understood"

"I will comply"

"Mezoti, find us a nice place to land"

"Any preferences?" she enquired.

"Someplace nice, soft and near the sea" Naomi said. "Pass the place to the Helm. Mr Azan, you may begin your descent"

"Aye" and Azan brought _Voyager_ into the planet's atmosphere. Ten minutes later, the ship was sat on the surface of the planet.

"Secure all stations" Naomi said. "That was great… Lets go and take a look around"

"We could do that from here" Icheb said.

"And you know thats not the same…" Naomi mock glared and rolled her eyes. "Computer, contact us if any vessels comes within range of our current position"

_Acknowledged_

#

"I didn't think that anything could beat the holodeck, but this just blows it out of the water" Naomi sighed happily as she lay on the beach sunbathing.

"It _is_ somewhat agreeable" Icheb said, wiggling his toes in the warm sand. "I am certain that you would not think I would say this, but why do we not stay for longer?" he asked.

"How long?"

"Oh, I think a month on this beach should be good" Mezoti said sleepily. Naomi and Icheb laughed as they watched the twins race each other in the waters near the landing ground.

"I could live here forever and ever" Naomi said.

"If that is you wish, Naomi, then that is what we shall do" Icheb said. "We would be safe for many years" he added.

"I really want to, but I promised Mom and Captain Janeway and Seven and everybody else that I'd get the ship home. Of course" she added, "A month sounds about right"

Voyager_ computer to Naomi Wildman_

"Go ahead" Naomi tapped her com badge.

_A vessel has entered sensor range. Bearing 132 mark 98. Speed Warp 9.98_

"Where is it heading?"

_Current location of USS_ Voyager

"Define type of vessel"

_Borg Cube – Type 3_

"Has it detected us?" Naomi, Icheb and Mezoti were no longer just lazing around now.

_Unknown_

"Power down to minimal levels. Shut down life support, power down warp and impulse drives. Switch to battery power. Keep a continuous watch using passive sensors. Report when the Cube does something. Naomi out" she looked at the other two. "After all this time, a lone Cube turns up? How could it have escaped the destruction of the Borg?"

"I do not know" Icheb replied. "I am more concerned to know if it has been following us using some kind of stealth technology"

Voyager_ to Naomi Wildman_

"Naomi"

_Borg Cube has scanned the surface and then departed on course 010 mark 58_

"Did it detect us?"

_Indications from sensor data conclude it did not_

"Begin power up sequence of impulse drive. Bring manoeuvring thrusters to standby. Computer, new standing orders: Keep constant transporter lock on Naomi, Mezoti, Icheb, Azan and Rebi"

_Acknowledged. Beginning power up sequence now_

"We leaving?" asked Mezoti.

"No, but I want to get up and away as quickly as possible should they come back" Naomi said. "For now, I want to try that refreshing water" and, without another word, she stripped off her clothing and jumped into the sea.

"It is sometimes disturbing to see her do that" Icheb said. "Although she appears to be the same age as you, she is somewhat younger" and Mezoti nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps a talk with the Doctor is in order?" she suggested.

"I will suggest it to her" Icheb said. "Due to her mixed K'tarian and Human genes, she has grown at a different rate then what could be expected" he didn't talk again until Naomi was well out of ear shot. "There is another problem. It is one that I have spoken to Azan and Rebi about, but one which I have not been able to speak to you about until now"

"What?" Mezoti frowned.

"I must admit that I have been keeping certain things from Naomi, or else changing computer readouts when she has asked for them. During the battle with the Borg at Unimatrix Zero One, we took a lot of damage"

"I was there" Mezoti said.

"I know… The damage I speak of is to the ship's lateral members. Many key locations were severely damaged and we have not been able to repair them. Naomi's decision to land here has made it impossible for us to take off again"

"The damage is that bad?" Mezoti's eyes were wide with the understanding.

"The repairs are not so terrible that we can't leave, but we have an issue. According to the computer, the repairs would take three months with an engineering crew at a Starbase. We have no crew at all, no experience in doing something like this, one cadet, four pre teenagers and the nearest Starbase is over a hundred thousand light years away at maximum warp"

"Can't we brace the members with extra plating?"

"That would only slow the rate of damage progression. Do you think I should tell her?" Icheb asked as he watched Naomi swimming towards some rocks.

"Later, perhaps" Mezoti said. "After so much in her life, let her enjoy a few days before breaking the news to her"

"Maybe you are right" Icheb said. They watched as Naomi reached the rocks and began to climb up them – suddenly, she dropped down and made a huge splash – causing Icheb to get soaked. He spluttered and shook his wet hair from his face as Mezoti gave in to a fit of giggles. "Laughing at me, will you?" he growled, stood, scooped the girl into his arms and took a running leap into the sea.

#

That evening, only Naomi was awake – holding a nominal watch on the bridge. After looking over the sensor logs, the group had discovered that the Borg Cube had been the result of a malfunction. After she had been tired out from all of the swimming, running and playing that day, she had slept for several hours – waking up in time for dinner and her turn as watchkeeper on the Bridge. She spent the time going over some reports she wanted to send to Starfleet and also looked at new clothing for herself. Her normal clothing was far too heavy for the warm climate of the planet they had landed on, she had settled for a pleated skirt and a thin cotton t-shirt with sandals. She'd also discovered something called a skort that was a combination of short and skirt along with a lavender colour blouse as well as a number of other items.

_Shuttle in position_

"Computer, begin recording" Naomi was brought from her thoughts by the computer.

_Acknowledged. Recording…_

"This is a message from Naomi Wildman of the USS _Voyager_ to Starfleet Command. We have survived the assault on Unimatrix Zero One. All mission objectives were completed and the Borg are no longer a threat to the galaxy. However, an incident involving our escape and the detonation of ordinance used in the attack has thrown us far off our expected position. Our current position is 101,316.7 thousand light years from the nearest point to the Alpha Quadrant. After discussing the situation with my friends, we have decided to continue the primary mission directive set by Captain Kathryn Janeway to return _Voyager_ back to the Alpha Quadrant. This journey, however, will take around 100 years to complete. It is my intention to continue on a course to Starbase 515, the nearest Starbase to our current position, whilst looking for new technologies or wormholes we can use to take years off of our journey. Included in this packet are all of our logs, ship status reports and navigational data from the last time we communicated. After a period of refitting and repairing, we will resume the journey. Although it may take a hundred years to complete, we will return. Keep a docking port ready for us. Naomi Wildman, Captain, USS _Voyager_, out" and the computer bleeped to indicate the message was recorded. "Computer, transfer the message to the shuttle and prepare to activate shuttle deflector on my command.

_Acknowledged_

"Transfer the data to the shuttle and let me know when that is complete" Naomi ordered. As she waited, she turned her attention to the small matter of Deck 15 Sections 1 through 26.


End file.
